WAGONER, Okla. — In national bass tournaments the local advantage is defined as the angler whose knowledge of the fishery exceeds that of his peers. That certainly applies to tournament veteran Tommy Biffle at Fort Gibson Lake, site of the Bass Pro Shops Bassmaster Central Open presented by Allstate.
The native Oklahoman has for decades lived on the lake. Competing at home is rare, even though when doing so Biffle is the odds-on favorite to win.
Today, Biffle added an ironic and unique twist to the local advantage cliché after enduring mechanical issues. Actually, he experienced two of those within minutes of the other.
While fishing late this morning his trolling motor stopped operating. A call to B.A.S.S. officials granted Biffle permission to have a replacement motor delivered to him at lakeside.
Anywhere else, the affected angler will summon assistance from a service crew to make the repairs necessary to resume fishing. Instead, Biffle called home. Minutes later his wife Sharon delivered a replacement motor and drove back to the family’s Lakeside Polaris dealership.
The good deed was for naught. The replacement trolling motor needed repairs, too. Biffle again called his wife for help.
Here’s where the story takes an ironic turn.
Fort Gibson’s 19,900 acres are shaped more like a river than sprawling reservoir. That makes spotting colorful, wrapped boats easier than usual. That also explains why Biffle added an element of stealth to his fishing strategy. He borrowed a boat with the intention of being less recognizable on the water.
“My bite is easily affected by boat traffic, so I wanted to avoid attracting so much attention,” he said.
On Day 1 the plan worked. Biffle caught a 5-bass limit weighing 17 pounds, 10 ounces to take second place.
Biffle slipped through the checkout flotilla of 170 boats under cover. No one noticed the black Ranger driven by the strange man clad from the neck up in a gaiter, the eyes shielded from recognition by dark sunglasses. When he returned that afternoon even the B.A.S.S. official recording check-in times didn’t immediately recognize the identity of the mystery man.
Following the second trolling motor issue Sharon returned to the scene towing her husband’s Bassmaster Elite Series boat, bearing the familiar Gene Larew Lures logo. Before she arrived her husband fished like a mad man from the disabled boat beached on the shoreline.
Biffle finished today without any further mechanical implications. The entire series of events lasted around 45 minutes, proving the local advantage has benefits outside of the core element of fishing strategy.
He remained calm and collected through it all, reflecting his steady demeanor.
“None of it really bothered me, its part of the game,” he said.
“When the fish don’t bite you have to make adjustments,” he continued. “Mechanical problems are no different and you just have to grind it out.”
Tomorrow Biffle needs to make adjustments, although he hopes those won’t involve boats, motors and related gear. He’ll likely be in his wrapped boat, too. And maybe the local advantage will pay dividends on the fishing side of the cliché’s definition.